Cells require time to reset their mechanisms after generating and transmitting an electrical impulse, preventing continuous creation and transmission of such impulses.
Why can’t cells continually generate and transmit electrical impulses, as explained in the paragraph?
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Cells can’t continually generate and transmit electrical impulses due to the refractory period. After an action potential, when a nerve cell fires, there is a brief interval during which the cell cannot generate another impulse. This refractory period is crucial for the cell to recover and restore ion gradients necessary for signal propagation. Continuous firing without a refractory period would lead to a loss of specificity and efficiency in signaling. The refractory period ensures the precise and controlled transmission of electrical impulses, preventing constant and unregulated activity, maintaining the integrity and accuracy of neural communication in the complex networks of the nervous system.